Monday, January 18, 2016

So it's January and you still have some crabs in the freezer. They're too old to enjoy steamed... what do you do? You could make crab cakes... again. Or...

You could make Jane's Crab Chowder!

Jane's Crab Chowder

Two slightly freezer burned Dungeness crabs, still frozen.

Two cups water

Three tbsp olive oil

One medium onion, chopped

One cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup finely chopped red Bell pepper

One cup dry white cooking wine

Two tbsp tomato paste

Two cups whipping cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the frozen crabs (cooked before freezing, or not) in a large pan and add the water. Bring to a boil covered and then simmer 15-20 minutes. Cool the crab. Pour the stock thru a sieve and save. Crack the crab and pick the meat. If you would like a stronger crab flavor in the stock, you can put the shells back in the stock and simmer for another 15 minutes before straining.

In another medium pot, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onion, celery and Bell pepper and cook, covered, stirring often until very soft and translucent - but not browned; maybe 15 minutes. Really, you're steaming these veggies.

Add the wine and tomato paste to the vegetables and cook over medium heat, uncovered, until the wine has been reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the whipping cream, the crab meat, and the retained crab boil stock and simmer uncovered over low heat 15 minutes or so to smooth out the flavors and thicken it up a bit.

If you like, the chowder can be served with a dollop of sour cream in the middle of each bowl.